I passed my car test in 1989. I then took my full bike licence in 1998, and whilst training, I was shocked by how much I had forgotten. I had simply stopped observing properly and, probably like most drivers, realised that I had gained many bad habits. The observation side, was literaly like scales falling from my eyes, no pun intended. In 9 yrs of driving, and probably about 200,000 miles, my standards had dropped massively.
As a biker, I am very aware of how perilous the roads are, and that has kept me very observant. I 'talk' to myself about what is happening on the road, and that keeps me on the ball.
I think it would do the average driver the world of good to have a small 'MOT' of their driving every few years. It would be even better if they rode a pedal cycle, or L plated 50cc in traffic. Gain some much needed empathy and perspective from outside of their airbag Ncap5 star 1500kg safety cage.
I passed my Driving Instructor driving test in 2002 at the first attempt, which is tough, and qualified as a driving instructor that year. I enjoyed the job for a few years, but have since moved on but may return to it one day.
